My trip began with my chauffeuring one of my kids back to school in southern Oregon after the Christmas holidays. Not the most direct route home to Livermore, but it still made perfect sense to head a bit eastward:

My approximate route to and from southern Oregon - courtesy of googlemaps.

Credit: BMcC

Nice views of Shasta and wildlife from Interstate 5:

Mt. Shasta (1/6/13).

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Dragon - a bit north of Yreka, CA.

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Seemed pretty cold at minus 1 degree fahrenheit when I awoke at a rest stop - little did I realize that it would be even colder in Ouray and Joe's Valley, and then much warmer (not even dipping below freezing in Cody).

CCC Falls - the best ice (the uppermost pitch) is not visible in this pic (1//8/13).

Credit: BMcC

The best bit of CCC Falls (1/8/13).

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Pillar behind CCC (1/8/13).

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Peter cruising (1/8/13).

Credit: BMcC

Unfortunately, while third-classing down to take another lap, Peter took a rib and muscle-bruising fall, colliding with a tree. BITD, the football coach would ask him, are you hurt or injured? Not sure... I took couple of quick laps on top rope. His additional lap convinced us that it was time to call it a rest and recovery day, look at ice, and head to Ouray.

Senator Gulch Falls wasn't as fat as when I'd climbed it several years ago, but looked good (1/9/13).

Credit: BMcC

En route to Silverton, drove by Horsetail Falls and Bear Creek Falls - the former looked good (seems pretty consistent, though it can get snow-loaded) and the latter looked sun-rotted - pics later in this TR.

Backing down the partially packed snow on the road to the Stairway to Heaven, I blew it and slid the left rear of my Honda Pilot into deep snow in the inside-edge ditch. Crap. Digging, pushing, and trying to pull it out with an already trashed rope and a Subara were all unsuccessful. No cell service, but the locals in the Subaru sent us a tow truck from Silverton. $200. Dang. Also, with the efforts expended digging and pushing, Peter got feedback regarding 'hurt or injured'. Bummer.

Stairway to Heaven and the Whore House Hoses looked good, but we were just looking (pics later in this TR). BTW - park and walk up the road to check out the climbs, but park and then hike the riverbank to access the climbs. Getting down the cliff below the road to the river and then up the other side to 'shorten' the approach to the Stairway to Heaven could be ugly. Getting ones vehicle stuck would be ugly, too.

Returned to Ouray for a soak at the Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs.

The next day, while Peter walked about Ouray, deciding to truncate his trip and head home, I did some fun laps on easy ice in the ice park with a climber from upstate New York. And the next crew of partners (Frank and Loren Baker, and Travis Miranda) arrived for the ice fest and some out-of-the park climbing.

Belayed and taught beginners at the Kids' Wall while my newly arrived partners took various clinics (1/13/13).

Credit: BMcC

Convenient post-climbing therapy a few steps from our room...

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Frank in the best tub - the highest tub (closest to the hot spring) is too hot, the lowest pair (closest to our room) weren't hot enough, but this one was just right.

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Serendipity: during a break at the Kids' Wall, Barry Stevenson asked me a few questions about the ice park for the excellent video he was making on the ice park ( http://vimeo.com/57924628 ).

On the Monday after the ice fest wrapped up, we did an 'instant crowd' ascent of Horsetail Falls as a party of 4. It's a fun route, not too far from town, and has an easy and relatively short approach and descent.

Bear Creek Falls with climbers - a couple of years ago Frank and I climbed Horsetail Falls and then walked over to Bear Creek Falls to climb up and out (the bridge and road are just above this pic).

Credit: BMcC

The ice on Horsetail Falls was excellent and was the perfect first multi-pitch WI 4 route for Loren and Travis to follow (except for the temps: minus 2 when we started and plus 1 at the end of the day).

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Travis approaching the 1st belay (1/14/13). Where I had just experienced the screaming barfies for the 1st time in decades, he's smiling.

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Easy 2nd pitch with another pitch and a half above that...

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Final pitch (pic by Travis Miranda with my camera).

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Happy guys about to rappel back to our packs at the base of the route. Bear Creek Falls in the distant background.

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Loren back at the base of Horsetail Falls. Soloist trailing 2 ropes is just visible above the steep ice on the 1st pitch.

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On the next day, Frank and I drove over to Silverton to climb the Stairway to Heaven. However, temps dipped to minus 17 fahrenheit during the drive and were minus 7 at the trailhead. Having climbed Horsetail Falls the previous day with subzero temps, we revised our plans and returned to the ice park to find and climb with Loren and Travis. And, small world, Barry Stevenson and MacKenzie, his assistant, arrived to take more 'footage' for the video he was making.

And we took a few laps on the hooked-out, heavily traveled Pick O' the Vic - steep, too:

Frank on the Pick O' the Vic (1/15/13).

Credit: BMcC

On Wednesday, Frank and I took another go at the ice in Silverton - it was his last day before he was to head home.

The Stairway to Heaven looked great (pic from 1/15/13, the day before).

Credit: BMcC

Outward Bound hotel in the foreground and the Stairway to Heaven further away.

Credit: BMcC

Geared up and started out on snowshoes. Tedious. Snow drifts in the creek bed. Really tedious. Déjà vu - Frank and I had wallowed up to and climbed the Stairway to Heaven 2 years ago. Late start and headlamp descent. Fun WI 4 route, but a lot of effort to get to the route with the conditions we had then. Too tedious. Change of plans: Whore House Hoses (some WI 5) with its much shorter approach. Yay!

Whore House Hoses.

Credit: BMcC

Frank's almost to some of the approach ice. Part of the 1st pitch is visible up to the left and beyond the old mining excavation in the canyon wall.

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Whore House Hoses 1st pitch (1/16/13).

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Looking down to my attentive belayer.

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Frank coming off the steep and up to the 1st belay.

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Last real pitch - the sun looked so inviting.

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Last pitch - there was another possible line to take left of this pic, but this seemed steeper.

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In the pic, a couple of the screws aren't clipped to a rope. This was because I broke a pick near what seemed to be the crux and, to borrow a tool from Frank, I pulled one of my ropes all of the way up and then dropped an end back down. There was 1 more little pitch below this one that was, perhaps, WI 2+.

Rapped down to our packs - Frank and I agreed that Whorehouse Hoses was THE best part of our trip.

Credit: BMcC

Did some laps on top rope in the park the next day, before taking Frank to the airport in Montrose and then heading up to the airport in Grand Junction to pick up Rob Yang.

Rob and I got an early start and dashed up to Joe's Valley to get on the ice as soon as possible. Minus 4 freaking degrees. Drove around and scoped out the area. Still cold. Drove back into Orangeville for some hot chocolate while the air temp climbed some.

Our stalling worked. It was a balmy 7 degrees when we left the parking lot to climb CCC Falls. Since I had already led this route earlier on my trip, Rob got the sharp end.

Rob relaxing on the 1st pitch of CCC Falls (1/18/13).

Credit: BMcC

Rob topping out on the crux pitch of CCC Falls (1/18/13).

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We did a few laps of the upper pitch on top rope and then...

Led the little pillar in the cave and rapped (pic courtesy of Rob Yang).

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After rapping and hiking less than a few tens of minutes down and out, we headed down canyon to the Highway to Heaven (AKA Deadbolt). In his guidebook Ice Climbing Utah, David S. Black indicates that the route is up to 3,000' long and WI 4-5. Maybe like ice canyoneering.

Rob starting up the canyon.

Credit: BMcC

Rob coming up through a sweet little cave (1/18/13).

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More 3rd classing.

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The longest pitch of Highway to Heaven (Deadbolt).

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My lead (pic courtesy of Rob Yang - 1/18/13).

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Rob coming up...

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Rob rapping Highway to Heaven with the moon rising.

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From what we could see, the conditions on other routes did not seem to warrant staying another day, so we headed out the next morning for Cody, a day earlier than we had originally planned.

It was almost mid-afternoon when we had stopped to look at Utah's Bridal Veil and Stairway to Heaven, so we kept trucking to try to get to Cody before too late in the evening.

Credit: BMcC

For our 1st route, Rob suggested we climb Cabin Fever (60m WI 4) which would give us access to Wyoming Wave (140m WI 3) and to California Dreaming (60m WI 3). The ice conditions report at the ColdFear website indicated the routes were in condition. Good conditions reported, partner familiar with the approach, and new territory for me - what could go wrong?

Cabin Fever is at the end of the road on the north side of the South Fork - opposite where we would be based in the Flying H bunkhouse after Ed arrived. See Ed's report for the insider scoop on the bunkhouse.

Rob on the way to Cabin Fever (1//20/13).

Credit: BMcC

At this point, the air temp seemed pretty (too) mild and we were getting pretty high above the S Fork. Good news was that ice was coming into view...

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... the approach ice for Cabin Fever with part of the route peaking over the top.

Credit: BMcC

Cabin Fever looking like it had been feverish for too long. Running with water and kind of not too safe (1/20/13).

Credit: BMcC

Cabin Fever wasn't happening for us and, therefore, neither were Wyoming Wave and California Dreaming, since they are accessed via Cabin Fever. So we headed down almost all of the way to the trailhead and then up canyon to check out the Outdoorsman (45m WI 4). Also reported to be in condition.

Approach ice above a pool of deep, open water.

Credit: BMcC

Rob on the approach ice for the Outdoorsman.

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The Outdoorsman didn't look 45m tall and was very anemic compared to its pic in Jpsephson's guidebook, Winter Dance

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So the Outdoorsman wasn't happening for Rob and me either. Had done a lot of hiking and a bit of fun 3rd classing, but the routes themselves (on the north side of the South Fork) weren't there for us. Did I mention that the air temps were mildly warm?

Had some time before Ed's flight was to arrive so we took a drive to find the Flying H Ranch bunkhouse where we would be staying.

This pitch (the 3rd) looked much thinner this year than when I led the route last year. Rob wanted the middle pitch, so I got the 1st and 3rd (1/21/13).

Credit: BMcC

Led up and over rather than going up the 3rd pitch directly from below as I was able to do last year (pic by Rob Yang with my camera - 1/21/13).

Credit: BMcC

A bit higher (pic courtesy of Rob Yang with my camera - 1/21/13).

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... and up (pic courtesy of Rob Yang - 1/21/13).

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Ed cruising Bozo's Revenge (100m WI 3+) (1/22/13).

Credit: BMcC

Mean Green (300m WI 5). Other climbers suggested that the crux pitch was rotten or missing - 1//23/13). Any truth in the rumor? Rob led 1st and 3rd pitches. The 2nd was mine. The 4th (crux) was hosing...

Credit: BMcC

Crux pitch on Mean Green had a lot of water coursing over and through it - not appealing - 1/23/13.

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Our Thursday (24th) climb of Duck Soup (100m WI 3) turned out to be the last climb of the trip for 3 of us together because Ed was having some knee issues.

Duck Soup (1/24/13).

Credit: BMcC

Nice view of the South Fork of the Shoshone River valley and the Cabin Creek area.

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On our last day after clearing out of the bunkhouse and saying good bye to Dean (the caretaker/manager) and Molly (his pooch), we headed over to Deer Creek to check on the condition of Too Cold to Fire. Ed joined me walking up the creek to the base of the ice.

Deer Creek approach to Too Cold to Fire.

Credit: BMcC

Too Cold to Fire looking fat (fatter than last year when I tagged along on it with 2 guys from CO) - 1/25/13.

Credit: BMcC

Rob on the 3rd class approach to Too Cold to Fire - 1/25/13.

Credit: BMcC

Rob soloing up the next approach bit.

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Rob and the start of the real climbing on Too Cold to Fire - 1/25/13.

Credit: BMcC

Rob almost topped out - 1/25/13.

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The view looking down my rap ropes.

Credit: BMcC

Drove back to Cody after rapping Too Cold to Fire - a very nice little climb with which to end Ed and Rob's part of the trip.

Credit: BMcC

After delivering Ed and Rob to the airport, I went back to the end of the S Fork Road to check out a couple of climbs that some other climbers recommended - Smoked Turkey (100m WI 3 to 5, depending on conditions and the final pitch chosen) and Grandma's Chicken (110m WI 4).

Approach pitch on Smoked Turkey - 1/26//13.

Credit: BMcC

An even steeper and longer approach pitch - fun stuff!

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Last pitch of Smoked Turkey - I chose Chicken Wing (50m WI 3) on the left rather than the Drumstick (50m WI 5) on the right - 1/26/13.

Credit: BMcC

The Chicken Wing ice was thinner than what's in the guidebook, but very nicely plastic. Grandma's Chicken would have to wait until the next day.

Credit: BMcC

Went back the next day with snow falling and more wintery weather predicted to check out Grandma's Chicken.

The start of Grandma's Chicken is obvious.

Credit: BMcC

Took a wrong turn up higher and ended up a gully over from the last pitch on the climb. Rapped back down and, in deteriorating conditions, checked another possible approach - got it for the next time I'm in Cody...

The WI 4 pitch on Grandma's Chicken - 1/27/13

Credit: BMcC

Several raps and I was down to my snow-covered pack and scrambling to get down to the river and out before dark...

Credit: BMcC

Back to my mini-RV just before dark.

Credit: BMcC

Happy?

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The weather service predicted worsening weather for several days and served to convince me to begin my journey homeward (stopping to climb in Lee Vining and ski at Mammoth, of course). Though I didn't climb the crux on Grandma's Chicken this trip, my ice adventures shared with various partners had been great fun. I was and am happy and thankful that my partners were able to drive or fly out and meet me to climb. Thanks Peter, Frank, Loren, Travis, Rob, and Ed - it was fun climbing and hanging with you guys!

There is so much more to climb in the Cody South Fork area... and then there's Montana in which I've only visited Hyalite for a few days last year... and then there's so much more I have yet to do in Canada and Alaska.

Seems like the ice season is too short, but that must mean the rock season is so much longer :-)

As always, it was great fun climbing with and sharing icy adventures with friends.

Mike M - thanks for the Valdez avi link/update. Not heading to Alaska for several months. Currently at the BMC International Winter Meet in Scotland. Great hosts here at the meet. Fun climbs so far and great evening presentations. Impressive weather - hoping to get in more climbing tomorrow before the forecast 55-75 mph winds (with gusts to 90) arrive. Cheers!